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Spring Cleaning/Ladder Safety

When the weather starts to break and some warmer weather moves in, the
spring cleaning bug starts to bite. Everything that winter storms moved
out of place needs put back into place, all the debris lodged in gutters
needs to be removed, and maybe even those holiday decorations need to
come down. Plus the inside of the house needs a bit of sprucing up as
well. Those ceiling fans need wiped off, those closets need organized,
and getting in and out of the attic is usually a tighter squeeze than
last year. All of these chores usually have one thing in common-using
the trusty old ladder.

According to Culture of Safety,
more than 90,000 people visit the emergency room from ladder related injuries every year and nearly
half of those accidents were a result of people carrying objects as they
climbed or descended the ladder. Of course, many people worry about ladder
use at work and do not associate the dangers with using ladders at home, but
97-percent of all those injuries occur in non-occupational settings, according to Health Day, which underscores
the importance of safely using ladders in spring cleaning projects at home.

The most basic ladder safety rule that should be followed is one that occurs
before the device is even used-inspecting the ladder before use. Checking
for cracked steps and broken latches greatly reduces the chances of the
unit breaking during use. Plus, double checking that the weight rating
is enough to accommodate the user and all the equipment that is going
to be transported is a great idea as well. Ladders need to be placed on
firm level ground and should be high enough that the top of the ladder
is three feet above the landing surface.

To
prevent unsafe leaning and climbing from occurring, the "Three Points of Contact" rule is a great
one to keep in mind. Basically, either two hands and one foot or two feet
and one hand should always be in contact with the ladder. This rule ensures
that the gutters, ceiling fan, or other elevated item get cleaned without
a trip to the emergency room.

In the end, ladder safety and proper use of a ladder need to be something
homeowners and renters focus on. Falls from height are serious issues,
and they can be fatal. Taking a few minutes to inspect the ladder and
using the "Three Points" rule are great ways to minimize the
risk associated with use. Spring cleaning can actually be pretty dangerous,
which means taking steps to make it as safe as possible is a great idea.